¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ

GREENSBURG, PA- ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ College honored 13 alumnae with the Distinguished Alumnae Leadership Award during a program on Saturday, June 2nd at 6:30 p.m. as part of the College’s annual Alumnae Weekend celebrations. Distinguished Alumnae are honored for their service to the College, their communities and in their individual fields. Following is the list of recipients: Rita Marron Wagner, '41 of Rockville, MD Following her graduation from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ in 1941 with a degree in mathematics, Rita Marron Wagner pursued her career as a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland, later becoming a mathematician with the United States Navy. Her teaching career began in Diocesan elementary schools where she taught second, third and fifth grade. A move to the Montgomery County Public Schools led to new responsibilities as a teacher and as Program Service Specialist for Project Head Start, where she managed enrollment, transportation and budget matters. In 1973, the same year in which she received her Master of Arts Degree in Political Science from Hood College, Wagner became Secretary-Treasurer, for TCG, Inc., her husband's semi-conductor equipment and support company. She continues to work in that capacity. She is the past President of the Rockville American Association of University Women, she has volunteered as a facilitator for the RENEW program at St. Mary's Church, and has served on the Rockville Library Board, the Animal Control Board of Rockville and as Secretary for the Montgomery County Tuberculosis and Heart Association. Her dedicated efforts earned her a Bronze Medal from the American Heart Association. Connie del Campo Laurent,'46 of Federal District, Mexico In the 1940's, during World War 11, Connie del Campo Laurent left Mexico and came to ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ to major in English. After graduation Laurent returned to Mexico and taught Advanced English at the French Lycee, later becoming an Assistant Professor in the English Department at the University of the Americas, the first American University in Latin America. She taught French and English classes for adults at the Language Institute. In 1958 Laurent’s educational pursuits again became international when she traveled to Paris and Lyon as Assistant Director for the Summer Study Groups in England organized by the French Ministry of Education. During her tenure in Europe she taught in both France and England. In 1965 Laurent returned to Mexico and to her position as Assistant Professor at the University of the Americas. Eventually, she accepted an appointment as Head of the English Department at the prominent British School. Laurent has been an active participant for over 20 years in Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary society for women educators. She has held numerous offices within the organization in Mexico and internationally, including volunteering as Chapter President in Mexico, serving as a Regional Chaplain, and working internationally on the Resolution and Balloting Committees. Currently, Laurent serves as Director at the Senior Center at the American Benevolent Society, organizing cultural outings and teaching Poetry Appreciation. A Distinguished Member of the International Society of Poets, Laurent has written poems for publication in several anthologies of the International Library of Poetry and in the Alpha Delta Kappa quarterly and monthly bulletins, and for posting on the organization's Website. Alberta Albrecht Siemiatkoski,'51 of Bethlehem, PA Alberta Albrecht Siemiatkoski has made a career of research and study of cancer, while at the same time preparing college and university students so that they might plow new ground in the field of biology and medicine. Within a year of completing her undergraduate degree in biology at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ, Siemiatkoski continued her education at Fordham University, where she earned a Master of Science Degree in Biology. After completion of her Master's Degree, she had an opportunity to apply her knowledge when she accepted a position as a biologist in the research division of American Cyanamid. After earning her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Rutgers University Siemiatkoski began work as a Research Fellow at the Sloan‑Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, opening a professional association with Sloan-Kettering and Cornell University which spanned 30 years. In 1982, Siemiatkoski accepted an academic appointment at Manhattanville College as an Associate Professor. She was named Professor in 1992, served there for 10 years as Chairwoman of the Biology Department. Siemiatkoski is currently a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the New York Academy of Sciences. Her honors include a pre-doctoral fellowship, U.S.P.H.S., Sigma Xi, and a U.S.P.H.S. Trainee Grant. As an author or contributor she has been published over 60 times during her scientific and academic career. Siemiatkoski is an active member of SERRA of Bethlehem, serving as their treasurer; and is also Co-chairperson of Hospitality for the Allentown Music Club. Siemiatkoski is also a volunteer Research Professor as Fellow at the Center for Emeritus Scientists in Academic Research at Lehigh University where she works without salary to revitalize her own research in microbial physiology dealing with folic acid metabolism. Joanne McCann Hayes,'56 of Miami, FL Joanne McCann Hayes graduated with a degree in psychology and went to work for the Veteran's Administration as a psychologist. Later, she and five friends started Greystone Associates, a consulting firm. Her association with Greystone Associates marked the beginning of 30-year career in fundraising, planning and management. While working as a Program Officer for Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation she organized new program areas for the federal government, private industry and foundations. Hayes then served as President and CEO at Women and Philanthropy. She grew Women and Philanthropy to include more than 700 foundations and corporate grant makers. Hayes went on to become the first woman President and CEO of the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel (AAFRC), the oldest professional association of for-profit fund raising companies. At AAFRC in addition to her management responsibilities, she published Giving USA for five years and worked with the state Attorney General to design regulatory systems for non-profits and for fundraisers. In 1994, Hayes was the founding principal of Hayes Briscoe Associates, a consulting firm that does planning, governance and fund development with offices in New York, California and Florida. The firm works with a wide range of clients including hospitals, social service agencies, private schools, universities, arts and community development organizations, and government and non­-government agencies. Hayes’ board experience encompasses nearly two-dozen organizations, some of which include the Union Institute, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center, Carlow College, The Women's Fund of Miami-Dade County, the Human Services Coalition, Kids in Distress, and the League of Women Voters, on both the local and national level. She is an elected member of the New York, Florida and International Women's Forum. Carol Reichgut,'56 of Silver Springs, MD Carol Reichgut graduated from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ College with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education, and then earned a Master of Arts Degree from Columbia University. Reichgut then moved to Maryland and for 34 years taught music for the Montgomery County Public Schools. Reichgut is the co-author of an Elementary Music Course of Study for the Montgomery Public Schools, and has written articles on individualized and small group instruction for music centers and interrelated arts instruction. She is on the Women's Committee of the National Symphony Orchestra and helps organize the Decorator's Showcase that benefits concerts for children. She has also engaged in mentoring programs. Throughout her years as a teacher, Reichgut observed first-hand the challenges that many minority students face when pursuing an education at the collegiate level. She recognized that for minority students financial challenges are often the greatest challenges. At ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ, Reichgut’s philanthropy ensures that African American students have the means to complete their education. She has been the champion of countless numbers of talented young students who without her assistance would not have persisted at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ. Colleen McCann,'56 of Harrisburg, PA Upon graduating ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ with a degree in dietetics, Colleen McCann completed a dietetics internship at Shadyside Hospital, and later served as Director of Dietetics at Lawrence F. Flick State Hospital until 1963. While working at Flick, she was recruited by Pennsylvania State University to develop and direct its first Dietetic Internship Program in 1964. By 1967 she was promoted to Director for the Institution Food Research and Services Program and Assistant Professor for the College of Human Development. McCann was tenured and moved into a position at the Institute for Human Development at Penn State. In this capacity she pioneered the use of computers in nutrient analysis. By 1977 McCann’s accomplishments in the field of nutrition were recognized on the state level when she was approached by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to develop and direct the Bureau of Foodservice Management. In 1980, McCann founded McCann-Cannard&Associates, Inc. She serves as president of the firm, which provides nutrition and foodservice consultation for over 100 health care facilities and other institutions, businesses and agencies. In addition to her consulting responsibilities, McCann continues to guest lecture at Penn State, Marywood University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She mentors students from Immaculata College and has served as part-time faculty at Harrisburg Area Community College. She continues to lobby the Pennsylvania General Assembly on food and nutrition issues. McCann is a member of numerous professional organizations where she has held several key leadership positions. She has been recognized for her professionalism eight times, including the Medallion Award in 1991 and the Outstanding Service Award in 1988, 1989 and 1990 from the American Dietetics Association. McCann has co-authored three books on nutrition and has contributed to many food and nutrition publications. Outside the workplace, McCann is on the Parish Council at her church, St. Francis of Assisi, where she has worked on the Liturgy Committee for nine years. She continues to work for Capital Region ENVISION Task force, a program to develop an overall plan for growth and enrichment of the quality of life in South Central Pennsylvania and for 25 years she has fostered three children through the Save the Children Foundation. She is an advocate for food and hunger issues and mentors high school students through a shadowing program at the Harrisburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Joan Smarrella Levan, '61 of Long Island, NY Joan Smarrella Levan graduated from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ with a degree in fashion merchandising. She has held a number of positions in fashion merchandising including: executive buyer for Higbee, Co. in Cleveland and later for Winkleman’s Department Stores in Detroit, MI; Senior Vice President of Merchandising for Woodward and Lothrup of Washington, D.C.; Vice President and General Merchandising Manager for Associated Dry Goods in New York; and later C.E.O. for Associated Dry Good Marketing and Vice President of Associated Dry Goods Corporation. In 1989 Levan opened Twenty Bucks, her own line of retail stores. Until her retirement in 1994 she successfully owned and operated 11 stores in the New York Metropolitan area. Levan has been a court appointed special advocate in the foster child legal system in Manhattan, worked raising funds for the Boy Scouts of America, the National Jewish Hospital in Denver and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Levan has also served as past President of the National Mother's Day Counsel, and worked on the boards of the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising and the New York Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. She currently volunteers for Family Counseling Service and is in the process of setting up a soup kitchen for the homeless in Eastern Long Island. Levan has been recognized for her exemplary service as a volunteer by earning the Good Scout Award and the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of American and was named Woman of the Year by the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. She is the sister of Teresa Smarrella ’57 and Pauline Smarrella Lane ’62. Sister Marlene Mondalek, '68 of Greensburg, PA Sister Marlene Mondalek entered the Sisters of Charity in 1959. She taught elementary school at three Catholic schools while completing her degree in English Literature from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ. Mondalek was missioned to Korea in 1968 and taught English at St. Joseph Girl's High School. She remained there for 10 years, before assuming the position of Novice Director for the Korean Mission. After 12 years as Novice Director, Mondalek became Regional Superior, serving in that position until 1993. During her time as Novice Director she completed her Master of Arts Degree in English Literature from Chonnam National University in Korea. Mondalek was called to serve as Provincial Superior for the Korean Province of Sisters of Charity in 1994. In 1998, the same year she completed her Ph.D. in English Literature from Chonnam National University, she returned to the United States. After 30 years abroad, she assumed the position of Vice President of the Sisters of Charity of ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ, USA. Mondalek has served on the Kuem Rueng Education Board in Korea, and currently sits on the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ College Board of Trustees, the St. Joseph House of Hospitality Board in Pittsburgh and the Seton Center Board. She was honored by her high school alma mater, Seton-LaSalle, in 2000 through induction into their Hall of Fame. Stephanie Powers,'71 of Keene, NH and Alexandria, VA Stephanie Powers graduated from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology. She became a VISTA volunteer in New Hampshire and continued to work for anti‑poverty programs through community action agencies until the mid-70's. In 1975 Powers broadened her role as a community advocate by working in job training and employment programs as a mid-level manager. In 1978 the U.S. Department of Labor recruited her to work in Washington, D.C. on national youth employment programs. During the 1980's Powers returned to New Hampshire and developed an education model for people with learning disabilities which became a model for transitional employment programs for the entire state. Her advancements as an educational advocate for people with severe disabilities led the University of New Hampshire to recruit her in 1988 to work in their newly created Institute on Disability. In 1993 she joined the Clinton/Gore Administration in Washington as a U.S. Department of Labor political appointee. After five years in the Employment and Training Administration, Powers accepted a presidential appointment to take the helm of the National School-to-Work Office. As National Director of the School-to-Work Office, she is responsible for the oversight and management of grants, staffing, national activities, associated research, evaluation and customer service to governors, corporate partners, school districts, and students and their families. Powers is affiliated with numerous professional associations, including serving as past President of the Board of Directors of CHESCO Inc. Powers has donated many hours to the Keene School District, and Keene State College. Powers has received a number of awards and honors including commendation from New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen in 2000 for leadership in educational reform and the Secretary of Labor's Achievement Award in 1997. Powers has been a guest on Good Morning America and co-chaired the New Hampshire Clinton/Gore for President Campaign. Barbara H. Nakles,'76 of Greensburg, PA Barbara Nakles graduated from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ College in 1976 with a degree in English. Nakles is the Secretary of the Board of Directors at IRIS Technologies, Inc. a privately held company, which produces, sells and supports PC‑based control hardware and software for the communications market. In addition, she is on the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ College Board of Trustees where she serves on the Education Policy and Faculty Interest Committee, the College Relations and Development Committee, and Chairs the Committee on Trustees. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Center Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, chairing the Funds Development Committee. She has served several terms on the Board of Trustees of Thiel College. Nakles has served on the Board of Trustees for the Adams Memorial Library in Latrobe, where her vision led to the establishment of the Unity supermarket branch of the library. She is a volunteer for the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival. In addition, Nakles has authored three publications, ~ Unique Vision of Art, a catalog of the special arts collection of the Art Conservation Trust of Greater Latrobe School District, Historic Latrobe, a history of Latrobe written for the Greater Latrobe Historical Society and a Centennial History of the Congregation, for the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1994 Nakles was a recipient of the Latrobe Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award and in 1997, she was named with her husband Ned, who is now deceased, by the Westmoreland Museum of Art as co-recipient of the Westmoreland Society gold Medal for contributions to the arts. Marti Blackson Fox,'76 of Woodland, TX Marti Blackson Fox worked as a college admissions counselor at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ for three years after attaining her Bachelor's Degree in Art. In 1979 she moved to Texas and was employed by Houston Lighting and Power, working in Accounting and Customer Service. In 1980 Fox began teaching Art for the Conroe Independent School District beginning a professional association with the district which continues today. Fox acquired a Texas Teacher Certificate for all levels of Art and later expanded her role as an educator when she completed her M.Ed. in Counselor Education from Sam Houston State University, and received a Texas Certificate as a Professional Counselor. For eleven years Fox has served the students of the Conroe Independent School District as a counselor, and has been recognized for her merit on several occasions. Fox was honored as an Ambassador to Japan as recipient of the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. She has also received the Conroe Superintendent's "Second Mile Award" for exceptional teaching and community involvement. Fox’s positive approach to education has made her a natural choice as a facilitator for teacher orientation and advisory committees within the school district. Her affirmative and creative teaching philosophy prompted Barrett Kendall Publishing to approach Fox to field test lesson plans and submit completed student examples for publication in a state-adopted text. Fox has also taken on many leadership roles within her community and is presently serving in her third term on the Woodlands Community Association Board of Directors. In addition to most recently serving as the Board's first Vice President, Fox has worked on numerous committees some of which include the Woodlands Fire Department, the Budget Committee and the Parks and Recreation Committee. She also is the past President and Director of the Woodlands Jaycees, volunteers as a teen counselor and has been appointed to serve on the Montgomery County Juvenile Board Advisory Council. Laurie Ann Carroll,'81 of Pittsburgh, PA Laurie Ann Carroll, Senior Vice President at Mellon Bond Associates, graduated from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ in 1981 with a degree in Business Management, was immediately offered a position as an entry-level manager-trainee with a then fledgling mutual fund corporation, AIM Advisors, Inc in Houston, Texas. Within five years she had at advanced to the position of Assistant Vice President‑Portfolio Manager for Money Market Instruments. In 1986 Carroll accepted a position with Mellon Bond Associates, a fixed income management subsidiary of Mellon Financial Corporation. Today, in her capacity as a Senior Vice President, Carroll is responsible for managing and trading active bond, cash management and enhanced short‑term investment management portfolios as well as credit analysis. Her subsidiary manages $58 billion annually for institutional pension funds, foundations and endowments. She also manages money for Dreyfus Fund Corporation. Carroll completed her Master's Degree in Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh in 1989 and in addition to professional accreditations in the United States, she has completed the accreditation exam for the Securities Representative license set by The Securities and Futures Authority in the United Kingdom. Kelley Murray Skoloda, '86 of Irwin, PA In 1987, a year after graduating from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ with a degree in Business Management, Kelley Murray Skoloda earned her M.B.A. in Marketing from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh. After completing her graduate program, Skoloda was recruited by Ketchum Communications, Inc. where she worked as assistant to the chairman and president, in charge of corporate special events and community relations. Today, she works for the public relations division at Ketchum Pittsburgh, as Associate Director/Senior Vice President. Skoloda directs the office's bu